Lemon Doughnuts

In a large bowl, place the yeast, ¼ cup warm water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and stir. Let sit 10 minutes.

Add the sugar, soy milk, margarine, eggs, salt, lemon juice, vanilla and 3 cups of the flour and mix either with a wooden spoon or with a dough hook in a stand mixer. Add more flour, a little at a time and mix into the dough until the dough is smooth and not sticky, scraping down the sides of the bowl before you add more flour. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place. I use a warming drawer on a low setting, or you can turn your oven on to its lowest setting, place the bowl in the oven and then turn off the oven after 5 minutes.

While the dough is rising, make the lemon filling. In a double boiler, combine the eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest, stirring occasionally until a think mixture is formed. This takes about 30 minutes. Remove bowl from the heat and whisk in the margarine. Cool for five minutes and then cover with plastic and refrigerate. You can make the filling up to three days in advance.

Punch down the dough and shape back into a ball and let rest for 10 minutes. Take out 2 cookie sheets and sprinkle some flour on them.

Sprinkle some flour on your counter and roll the dough out about 1/3 inch thick. Use a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut circles and place on the prepared cookie sheets. Re-roll any scraps. Place the cookie sheets back in a warm place — a warming drawer on low or in the oven after you turn on the oven again briefly and then shut off. Let rise another 45 minutes.

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a medium saucepan and use a candy thermometer to see when the oil stays at 360ºF for a few minutes; adjust the flame until the oil stays around that temperature.

Take out a cookie sheet and cover with foil. Place a wire rack on top and set near your stovetop. Add the doughnuts top side down into the oil and cook 1 ½ minutes. Use tongs or chopsticks to turn the doughnut over and cook another 1 ½ minutes. Place on the wire rack to cool. Repeat for all the doughnuts.

Use a knife or skewer to puncture a hole in the side of each doughnut, moving the knife or skewer around inside to make a space for the filling. Place half of the lemon cream into a pastry bag fitted with a small, about ¼-inch, round tip and squeeze some into the hole; you will feel the doughnut get heavier. Add more cream to the pastry bag as needed. Roll each doughnut in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar to coat all sides and serve.